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A veteran interview with

Donald Fentum

Donald served as a regular in Korea. He has great sympathy for the National Servicemen who served in Korea with the newly formed 61st Mortar Regiment

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About Donald Fentum

Donald Fentum joined the 3rd Royal Horse Artillery Regiment in 1949. He recounts how he was initially stationed in Kent but volunteered for Korea when an officer visited his local pub looking for recruits.

Don recalls his 6 week journey to Korea and how he initially joined the 179 Independent Mortars, before being assigned to the 61st Mortar Regiment. Against his Dad’s advice, Don volunteered for the observational post at Hill 355 (Kowang San), his main duty was to check and repair communications lines – sometimes in enemy territory and under enemy fire.

Don tells of life on the front lines in Korea, including the dire living conditions, freezing weather, and his experiences with enemy forces. He also outlines the precarious job of an artillery solider, recalling how mortars often exploded at random.

The interview ends with Don’s brief recollection of his time in Germany and Suez after his service in Korea ended.

Don’s incredible first-hand account of the Korean war enhances our understanding of the “forgotten war” and his entertaining anecdotes reinforce his view that “the army runs on its sense of humour”.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Martin Bisiker
Reviewed by:
Ed Thorns

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

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Home | Veterans | Donald Fentum

A veteran interview with

Donald Fentum

Don-Fentum-Frame

Donald served as a regular in Korea. He has great sympathy for the National Servicemen who served in Korea with the newly formed 61st Mortar Regiment

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Fentum, Donald. A Veteran Interview with Donald Fentum. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/donald-fentum/. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.
APA Style:
Fentum, D. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Donald Fentum [Interview by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Retrieved July 21, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/donald-fentum/
Chicago Style:
Fentum, Donald. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Donald Fentum. Interview by Martin Bisiker. Legasee. Accessed July 21, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/donald-fentum/
Harvard Style:
Fentum, D. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Donald Fentum. [Interviewed by Martin Bisiker]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/donald-fentum/ (Accessed: 21 July 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Fentum, D. A Veteran Interview with Donald Fentum [Internet]. Interview by M. Bisiker. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Jul 21]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/donald-fentum/
An interview with

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Bill Fox experienced some of the worst fighting of the war and provides an incredible yet emotional account of his time in Korea.

As a young man desperate for adventure, Fox volunteered for Korea with the Gloucestershire regiment and recalls his excitement at fighting with the UN Army. Told that he would be home by Christmas, Bill remembers looking forward to his national service. Bill describes his arrival in Busan, which in 1950 was still a quiet harbour, and his following journey North. He reflects upon the words of his colonel and the quietness that enveloped their long, slow movement to the front line. As they moved North and into battle, Bill describes how they also began to face bitter cold Winter and the realisation that they would not be returning home that Christmas. In this interview, Bill recalls his first encounter with the enemy, the tactics of the Chinese army, and the battle of Hill 332 by the Imjin River which resulted in his capture as a prisoner of war. He details the horrific conditions of the camps and the peace talks that finally gave him hope of freedom.
Photo Gallery icon 3 Photos
Service:
Interviewed by:
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